Confronting Tom
by The Potters of the Future
Summary: One shot Sequel to Following Alex. James Hale and Max confront Tom Harris about keeping Alex' secret. Idea from Biblioholic  hope you like . Keep up the the reviews.


Confronting Tom

James and Max were angry that Monday morning – at their friend Tom. They rounded the corner on their bikes which they had ridden from their street. Tom looked very cheerful talking to his girlfriend – Becks. Waiting for the young couple to finish their chit chat they glowered at Tom. Becks saw their looks and ran off to join her friends in the year below.

'Hey guys,' said Tom not realising that his friends stony looks were directed at him – Tom was always oblivious to people's glares, either because he had grown up in a house of warring parents or being Alex's best friend who had tips on the BAFTA for death glares.

'Why didn't you tell us,' snarled James who had the most hot temper out of the four friends (Alex the mysterious one, Tom the cheerful one, James the emotional one, and Max the observant one).

Tom still hadn't picked up on his friends' moods, oblivious as always. Usually Max found his friend's obliviousness hilarious – completely opposite to him – but today he just found it irritating.

'We know,' said Max glancing around happy that nobody else was listening into their conversation. That would change when Alex arrived. Alex was the mysterious one, the cold, terrifying one, the bad boy, the dangerous one, the legend of Brookland. And the world of espionage (spies in respect, awe and jealously and assassins in fear). Not that the majority of Brookland knew this – only four boys, now, knew this.

'Huh?' said Tom confused, obviously Alex hadn't filled the small boy in. James was furious Tom was being deliberately infuriating (or so the angry dark haired boy thought). Max knew that his friend was just being his usual oblivious self, but this didn't make him any less angry (actually it was only the teachers which stopped him throwing himself at Tom). James, unfortunately, had no such qualms and it was only James the bulkier on who managed to drag him off the small dark haired boy.

'What?' began Tom looking completely gobsmacked at his friend's sudden attack.

'We know,' said Max watching Tom's face for any sign of a reaction.

'Huh?' said Tom yet again.

'Alex,' whispered Max with enough sense not to shout about Alex and MI6 and watching Tom's surprised and wary expression as he glanced around to make sure no one was listening in – they weren't.

'Why didn't you tell us?' sulked James calming down. That was James through and through thought Max he was angry one second, crying the next, laughing the next. Sometimes Max thought he was Schizophrenic.

'I'm not supposed to know,' muttered Tom, 'Alex could get in major trouble for telling me – it was in his more rebellious phase.' Something seemed to occur to the bright eyed boy, 'but the question is how do you know? And does Alex know you know?'

'Yes,' snarled James (angry once again) 'wish he had told us sooner,' looking like a wounded puppy.

'I thought the same,' admitted Tom.

This calmed down the other two boys, 'sorry,' said the two boys, 'we didn't think how it was for you,' admitted Max.

'It's Alex's fault for not telling us – we're supposed to be best friends,' James scowled.

Tom shook his head sadly, 'he's bound by the official secret act,' he said lowering his voice once again

'Didn't stop him telling you,' pointed out Max and James continued to scowl.

'He was committing treason so little things like the OSA didn't matter too much,' muttered Tom.

'What?' helped James but quieted as the two other boys shushed him.

'I can't tell too much because it was personal but all you need to know is for personal reasons Alex joined an assassins corporation but dropped out when he couldn't kill in cold blood – if there's one thing to say about Alex it's that MI6 haven't sucked his soul.'

'Good,' said James not really sure what to say about this. Max, too, didn't know what to say so stayed silent in typical Max fashion.

There was still quite a bit of tension broke by Alex himself, 'talking about me?' he grinned in a very knowing manner. How did he sneak up here so silently? Wondered James but Max and Tom realised this was something about being a spy – you could move without detection. Alex, however, had learnt on Malogasto.

'No,' the three dark haired boys lied at once.

Alex just chuckled, 'so why did you jump when I came in? Why is Tom's eyebrows in his hair – a sure fire way to tell he's lying? Why won't Max meet my eyes? And why is James squirming guiltily?' He grinned as they gaped at him all thinking wow he's good. Alex grinned again, 'part of who I am,' he said carefully knowing that people would be listening in (teachers and pupils) for any news on Brookland's mysterious Alex Rider. 'Plus after this weekend who could blame you? But let's not talk here it's a bit crowded.' Then the bell went but both Max and James planned to find the truth out when they could get Alex alone, Alex of course knew this but had no plans of revealing the truth to them – it was too dangerous. Alex's life had made him a little paranoid, as all spies undoubtedly were. Or they were dead!


End file.
